Press release - April 29, 2005
NEW DELHI, India — Environmental, labour and civil society groups have appealed to the Prime Minister of India to intervene in the current crisis caused by Indian governments failure to respond to the Danish government's request for the return of fugitive toxic ship " Kong Frederik IX" alias "Frederik" alias "Riky".
The fugitive toxic ship " Kong Frederik IX" alias "Frederik" alias "Riky", spotted in Alang.
Basel Action Network, Greenpeace, Ban Asbestos Network, CITU, Corporate Accountability Desk
have also appealed for stringent action and prosecution of the
Minister of Environment and Forests, Central Pollution Control
Board, Gujarat Maritime Board, Gujarat Pollution Control Board,
Indian Customs and others for "contempt of court".
"This is an outstanding opportunity for India to demonstrate
that it is not a dumping ground for other countries toxic waste
especially when the exporting country is begging it to send the
waste back. If Mr. Raja fails to act it will be a tragedy for the
environment and workers safety", said Jacob Hartmann of Greenpeace
in Denmark.
"Unless contempt of court proceedings are initiated against the
concerned bureaucrats and the Minister, nothing will change and
India will become the toxic dumping ground of the world
irrespective of the Supreme Court's intent." Said P K Ganguly of
CITU echoing the demands of environment and labour groups in India
and abroad after the Ministry refused to act on a warning by its
Danish counterpart about a toxic ship-for-scrap that escaped
Denmark's clutches and headed for breaking in Alang contravening
Danish, European Union and Indian laws.
The groups commended the Danish authorities for their concern
for the Indian environment. Denmark had assured India that it would
take action against the shipowner, and ensure that the ship is
stripped of toxic substances if the Indian Government apprehends
the ship and sends it back. The fact that the ship was allowed to
beach despite notification of the illegality to all concerned
authorities including the Environment Ministry, Gujarat Maritime
Board, Gujarat Pollution Control Board and the Bhavnagar Customs
indicates the complicity of these agencies in violating the Supreme
Court directives.
Ironically, in November 2003, the Gujarat Maritime Board and
Coast Guard showed remarkable alacrity in harassing Greenpeace's
flagship, the Rainbow Warrior, outside Alang and prevented its
entry into Alang waters. "However, despite the advance notification
of a fugitive ship's illegal entry into India by another nation's
Government, the Indian authorities chose to allow Fredrik. Nothing
more needs to be said about the Indian environment ministry's
seriousness about protecting India from becoming the West's dumping
ground," said Shailendra Yashwant of Greenpeace.
The environmental-labour coalition is asking the Supreme Court
Monitoring Committee to initiate contempt proceedings against the
Ministry of Environment, Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gujarat
Maritime Board and the Bhavnagar Customs. They have also demanded
that the ship be towed back to Denmark, and criminal prosecution
under the Hazardous Waste Rules, 1989, of the shipbreaker who
imported it without consent.